In Matt. xiii. 45, 46, our Lord says " Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." Thus he sets before us the incomparable excellence and value of his kingdom. The passage has often been perverted from its true meaning, by men dwelling on the nature and properties of the pearl, and finding at each point some outstanding feature in Christ. His person is not referred to here, but his gospel, and peace through him to every seeker. The points of special moment brought out in the figure are dissatisfaction with present possessions, leading to search after something better, and the fact that, while thus seeking, he finds what is best of all. He had wants which nothing in nature could satisfy-he sets out to seek goodly pearls. God has provided in the gospel of Christ for the highest satisfaction of the seeking soul—he finds a pearl of great price. His estimate of the kingdom of God, of the gospel, and of all to be got in it, influences him to complete selfsurrender, and perfect peace results.

This reference to the great price of the pearl shows that in our Lord's day, as well as in modern times, there were jewels of this sort of great value. Mention is made of one an inch broad and one inch and a half long from the fishery of Catifa, which sold for £50,000. Cæsar presented to Servilia the mother of Brutus, a pearl valued at upwards of £48,000. If the often-repeated story of Cleopatra's folly may be credited, she dissolved in vinegar a pearl worth £80,729. Pearls of great price have ever been eagerly coveted. To this our Lord refers here, and leaves us in contact with the lesson-Be willing to give up every thing you most prize, rather than lose a place in the kingdom of God.

In apostolic times as now, pearls were coveted by the rich and luxurious as ornaments. Even professing Christian women were apt to be led away by the example around them. The heathen maiden had little else to occupy her attention than personal adorning. It was not thus with those who had found life and peace in Jesus Christ. Thus the force of Paul's words to Timothy-" I will, in like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works" (1 Tim. ii. 9, 10). The woman "who sat on the scarletcoloured beast," is described by John as "decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls" (chap. xvii. 4). When her judgment comes

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